A Push Square writer shares hands-on impressions of Honkai: Nexus Anima, HoYoverse's new title blending Teamfight Tactics-style auto-battler strategy with Pokémon-esque creature catching, after playing a closed beta on iPad Mini for a few hours. The game matters as the latest expansion of HoYoverse's gaming empire, drawing on auto-battler elements the studio has already tested through events in Honkai: Star Rail, Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, and the writer found the format surprisingly compelling despite having never played the genre before.

The reviewer praised the tactical depth of positioning creatures with distinct frontline and backline roles, and enjoyed the crossover appeal of familiar characters like Blade and Otto, though they criticised the heavy reliance on proper nouns and cluttered narrative text. A key concern raised is the gacha system, where "Trainers" (Eidoses) are likely to be paired with signature creatures similar to weapons in Genshin Impact, potentially favouring paid pulls over actual in-game hunting. The article also questions whether the mobile-focused game will ever launch on PS5, despite HoYoverse's prior console success with Honkai: Star Rail.